Chinese proverbs
Chinese proverbs are short sayings people use to make a point, such as 三人行，必有我师焉 (sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī yān), "In any group there is someone you can learn from." Here are 24 of the most used, with a word-for-word translation, the meaning, and when someone would say it.
| Proverb | Pinyin | Word for word | Meaning | Used when |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 三人行，必有我师焉 名言, 论语 | sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī yān | three people walking, surely there is my teacher among them | In any group there is someone you can learn from. | Said to encourage humility and learning from the people around you, whoever they are. |
| 千里之行，始于足下 名言, 老子《道德经》 | qiān lǐ zhī xíng, shǐ yú zú xià | a journey of a thousand li begins beneath the feet | A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step; big goals start with small actions. | Said to someone hesitating before a big project, or about to begin learning something hard. |
| 学而不思则罔，思而不学则殆 名言, 论语 | xué ér bù sī zé wǎng, sī ér bù xué zé dài | learning without thinking, then confused; thinking without learning, then in danger | Study without reflection leaves you muddled, and thinking without study leaves you on shaky ground. | Quoted by teachers to say that reading and reflecting must go together. |
| 己所不欲，勿施于人 名言, 论语 | jǐ suǒ bù yù, wù shī yú rén | what oneself does not want, do not impose on others | Do not do to others what you would not want done to yourself. | Said when reminding someone to treat others fairly, or to think how they would feel. |
| 欲速则不达 名言, 论语 | yù sù zé bù dá | wanting speed, then not arriving | More haste, less speed; rushing makes you fail. | Said to someone cutting corners or trying to get results too quickly. |
| 活到老，学到老 俗语 | huó dào lǎo, xué dào lǎo | live until old, learn until old | You are never too old to learn; learning lasts a lifetime. | Said by or about older people taking up something new, such as a language. |
| 只要功夫深，铁杵磨成针 谚语 | zhǐ yào gōng fu shēn, tiě chǔ mó chéng zhēn | as long as the effort is deep, an iron rod can be ground into a needle | With enough perseverance, anything can be achieved. | Said to encourage someone through slow, repetitive work toward a hard goal. |
| 失败是成功之母 俗语 | shī bài shì chéng gōng zhī mǔ | failure is the mother of success | Failures teach you what you need in order to succeed. | Said to comfort someone after a failed exam, interview or attempt. |
| 吃一堑，长一智 俗语 | chī yī qiàn, zhǎng yī zhì | suffer one pit, grow one wisdom | Every setback makes you wiser. | Said after a mistake, to mean the lesson learned was worth it. |
| 在家靠父母，出门靠朋友 俗语 | zài jiā kào fù mǔ, chū mén kào péng you | at home rely on parents, away from home rely on friends | Away from home, friends are the people you depend on. | Said when helping someone new in town, or thanking friends for their help far from home. |
| 多个朋友多条路 俗语 | duō gè péng you duō tiáo lù | one more friend, one more road | Every friend you make opens another way forward. | Said to encourage making connections, or when meeting someone new who may help later. |
| 远亲不如近邻 俗语 | yuǎn qīn bù rú jìn lín | distant relatives are not as good as near neighbors | A good neighbor nearby is more help than relatives far away. | Said when neighbors help each other, or to stress keeping good relations next door. |
| 路遥知马力，日久见人心 俗语 | lù yáo zhī mǎ lì, rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn | a long road reveals a horse's strength, long days reveal a person's heart | Time shows who people really are, as distance shows a horse's stamina. | Said about trust and friendship that is proven only over a long time. |
| 酒逢知己千杯少，话不投机半句多 俗语 | jiǔ féng zhī jǐ qiān bēi shǎo, huà bù tóu jī bàn jù duō | wine meeting a true friend, a thousand cups are few; talk not in tune, half a sentence is too many | With a kindred spirit you can talk forever; with someone you do not get along with, a few words are too many. | Said when a conversation with a close friend flows, or when one with a stranger goes nowhere. |
| 一寸光阴一寸金，寸金难买寸光阴 谚语 | yī cùn guāng yīn yī cùn jīn, cùn jīn nán mǎi cùn guāng yīn | an inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time | Time is more precious than gold, because money cannot buy it back. | Said by parents and teachers to urge young people not to waste time. |
| 一年之计在于春，一日之计在于晨 谚语 | yī nián zhī jì zài yú chūn, yī rì zhī jì zài yú chén | the year's plan lies in spring, the day's plan lies in the morning | Make a good start: plan the year in spring and the day in the morning. | Said to encourage getting up early or starting the year with good plans. |
| 天下没有不散的筵席 俗语 | tiān xià méi yǒu bù sàn de yán xí | under heaven there is no banquet that does not break up | All good things come to an end; every gathering must part. | Said at farewells, graduations, or when colleagues and friends go separate ways. |
| 万事开头难 俗语 | wàn shì kāi tóu nán | ten thousand things, the beginning is hard | Every beginning is hard. | Said to encourage someone struggling in the first days of a new job, course or habit. |
| 有钱能使鬼推磨 俗语 | yǒu qián néng shǐ guǐ tuī mò | having money can make a ghost push the millstone | Money makes the world go round; with money you can get almost anything done. | Said wryly about the power of money, often critically, when money opens doors. |
| 家家有本难念的经 俗语 | jiā jiā yǒu běn nán niàn de jīng | every family has a scripture that is hard to recite | Every family has its own troubles. | Said to comfort someone with family problems, or to admit that no family is perfect. |
| 家和万事兴 俗语 | jiā hé wàn shì xīng | family harmonious, ten thousand things prosper | When a family lives in harmony, everything goes well. | Said to urge family members to settle quarrels, and seen on New Year decorations. |
| 心急吃不了热豆腐 俗语 | xīn jí chī bu liǎo rè dòu fu | with an anxious heart you cannot eat hot tofu | Being impatient gets you nowhere; good things take time. | Said to someone impatient for results, telling them to slow down and wait. |
| 冰冻三尺，非一日之寒 谚语 | bīng dòng sān chǐ, fēi yī rì zhī hán | ice three feet thick is not the cold of one day | Big problems, and big achievements, build up over a long time. | Said when a serious problem has deep causes, or skill comes from long practice. |
| 三个臭皮匠，赛过诸葛亮 俗语 | sān gè chòu pí jiàng, sài guò zhū gě liàng | three smelly cobblers beat Zhuge Liang | Ordinary people putting their heads together can outdo a genius. | Said to encourage teamwork and brainstorming instead of relying on one clever person. |
Looking for four-character sayings? See Chinese idioms (chengyu).
Frequently asked questions
What is a famous Chinese proverb?
三人行，必有我师焉 (sān rén xíng, bì yǒu wǒ shī yān): In any group there is someone you can learn from.
What is the difference between a Chinese proverb and a chengyu?
A proverb (谚语 yànyǔ, 俗语 súyǔ) is a full saying of any length. A chengyu (成语) is a fixed four-character expression, usually with a story behind it. The idioms page lists chengyu with their HSK level.
Do I need proverbs to learn Chinese?
You will hear them in conversation and meet them in readings from about HSK 4. Learning a few that you like helps with vocabulary and rhythm; they are not needed at the start.
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